Sucker-rod coupling



June 11, 1929. ARGLE 1,717,186

SUCKER ROD COUPLING Filed Jan. 17, 1927 Patented June 11, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. CARGLE, F ROSSTON, ARKANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 THOMAS E. ZUBER, OF ROSSTON, ARKANSAS.

SUCKE It-ROD COUPLING.

Application filed January 17, 1927. Serial No, 161,615.

This invention relates to improvements in couplings.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved coupling adapted to be used in connecting the sections of sucker rods.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved coupling, embodying novel means to releasably connect the adj acent. ends of sucker rods and the like, so that the same cannot become relatively detached by rotation, or otherwise, during operation.

Other objects and advantages of this in vention will be apparent during the course of I the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of sections of a sucker rod line, showing the same releasably connected by theimproved coupling construction.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view 2 taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the details illustrated in Figure 2, taken at right angles thereto. I

Figure 4 is a tranverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view showing the wrench engaging portion of the sucker rod and its cooperating coupling parts, with a wrench applied thereto, to show the novel manner in which a latch mechanism of the coupling may be maintained inoperative to permita detachment of the sucker rod sections releasing the coupling.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustrationis shown only a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letters A and B may generally designate sucker rod sections, preferably each including at the ends 45 thereof a novel pawl or latch construction C, adapted to relcasably cooperate with a novel coupling box D:

The sucker rod sections A and B are each of the same construction, and preferably each comprises the elongated body portion 10, of

any length desirable, such as are used in standard lengths in oil well pumping and the llke. Preferably at the ends thereof the sucker rod sections A and B are each provided with screw threaded shanks 11, as illustrated in the drawings, and inwardly along the sections from each screw threaded shank 11 there IS a polygonal wrench engaging portion 12, having anenlarged shoulder portion 13 between the same and the shank 11, and an enlarged shoulder portion 14 at the opposite end thereof.

The latch or pawl C comprises an elongated pawl body 15, adapted to be received in a recess 16 which is provided longitudinally thru the wrench engaging portion 12 and the shoulder portion 13 of the sections A and B at each end thereof; the groove or recess 16 being open along a flat side 20 of the wrench engaging portion 12, as illustrated in Figure 5, and opening at the periphery of the shoulder portion 13.- The pawl 15 is pivoted at 21, by means of a transverse pin extending across the upper end of the recess 16 adjacent the shoulder 14, and the pawl body 15 is so formed in cooperation with the recess 16 that the same may be collapsed entirely in the recess 16 so that no portion thereof may extend from the outer periphery of the sucker rod adjacent the recess 16. In the wrench engaging portion 12, the recess 16 is preferably enlarged at 25, for accommodating a spiral compression spring 26 located in the bottom of the recess and normally engaging against the in- ,side edge 27 of the latch body 15 to normally urge the latch body 15 outwardly from the recess or groove 16, at the pawl end 30 thereof; this pawl end 30 being located to swing beyond the outer surface at the shoulder portion 13 of the sucker rod section, as is obvious from Figure 2 of the drawing. The latch body 15 may have an end 31 projecting inwardly into the recess to'the side of the spring 26 opposite the pivot pin 21, to limit the inward movement of the latch into the recess 16. It is to be noted that the spring 26 is under such compression that the same will urge the latch body 15 outwardly, and the outward movement of the latch body is limited by engagement of the end edge of the pawl body 15 adjacent the pin 35 of the recess 16, and in this manner, after the latch body 15 is assembled in the recess 16 the spring 26 cannot become detached.

Referring to the box or coupling body D, the same is preferably of tubular formation, relatively short, and adapted to connect the screw threaded ends. 11 of adjacent rod sections A and B. The same comprises the tubular body portion 40, having preferably a recess 41 therethrough, and provided with wrench engaging faces 42 externally thereon. At the ends 44 thereof the said box body is enlarged, and immediately facing the ends the coupling box D is provided with enlarged sockets 46 therein, adapted to receive the shoulder portions 13 of the sucker rod sec tions therein, when the box is connected to said sucker rod sections. The sockets 46 are relatively shallow, and between the same, the intermediate portion of the coupling rod box body 40 is provided with screw threaded passageways or sockets 48, to receive the screw threaded shanks 11 of the sucker rod sections, and as the screw threaded passageways 48 are of a less diameter than the sockets 46, outwardly end facing shoulders 49 are provided, against which the shoulder portions 13 may abut to limit the screw threaded connection of the coupling rods with the box D, as is perfectly obvious. At the inner periphery of the socket 46, the coupling box is provided with ratchet teeth 51, sloping in one direction, and latch end of the pawl body 15 being adapted to slide over the inclined faces of the teeth 51 to effect a screw threaded connection of the sucker rod with the box D, and being adapted to abut against the radial shoulders of the teeth to prevent disconnection of said sections with respect to the box D, as can readily be understood from Figure 4 of the drawings; it being seen that the outer margin 55 of the pawl end 30 is sloped tangentially with respect to the adjacent periphery of the sucker rod, in order to operate with facility over the teeth 51. As is observed from Figure 2 of the drawlngs, when the latch body 15 is in a position to operatively connect the sucker rod sections with the coupling box D, the outer marginal portion of the latch extends beyond the flat side 20 of the wrench engaging portion 12 of the said rod section, so that when a wrench E, as illustrated in Figure 5, is applied against the face 20 of the wrench engaging portion 12 of the sucker rod, the latch body 15 will be retracted into the recess 16, to disconnect the pawl end 30 from the teeth 51, and permit a relative rotation of the coupling box with respect to the sucker rod sections, in order to enable a disconnection of the sucker rod sections with respect to each other and with respect to the coupling. As is conventional practice the opposite 21, with the facing end edge provided with abrupt shoulders; the

ends of the sucker rod coupling box D may be provided with right and left screw threaded sockets.

From the foregoing description of this invention it is apparent that a novel and simple type of coupling has been provided, wh1ch will'efficiently connect sucker rod sections, n alignment against liability of accidental disconnection, c uring pumping operation, incident to the pawl connection which will pre' vent any relative rotation of movement of the sucker rod sections with respect to the coupling box when the pawl is in engagement with the ratchet teeth 51.

Various changes in the shape, size, and ar-.

rangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of this invention or scope of the claims.

I claim: a 1

1. As an article of manufacture a sucker rod section having an elongated rod body and a screw threaded shank at the free end thereof, said body of the section having an elongated recess opening in exposed relation at a side of the sucker rod section, a pawl pivoted in said recess, spring means to urge the pawl so that it projects beyond the outer adjacent periphery of the sucker rod section, said sucker rod section at the location of the recess being polygonal in cross section for wrench engaging purposes, and the recess being formed in a flat side ofsaid polygonal wrench engaging portion so that the latch member urged by said spring will normall extend beyond the said fiat side, whereby when a wrench engages the said flat side for adjustment of the sucker rod section, the latch incident to wrench fpressure may-be depressed into the recess 0 the sucker rod section in a non-operative relation.

2. In a sucker rod coupling construction the combination of a sucker rod section having a screw threaded shank on the end thereof and a latch movably mounted on said section beyond the screw threaded shank, a coupling box having a screw threaded passageway therein for detachably receiving said shank, having a socket therein provided with teeth for operably receiving the latch thereagainst to prevent relative releasable rotation of the sucker rod section and coupling box, said latch having an outwardly projecting portion beyond the coupling when the section is assembled to the coupling for receiving a wrench or like instrument thereagainst to movably retract the latch to disconnect the same from operation on the teeth of said coupling box.

3. In a coupling for sucker rods the combination of a sucker rod section, a coupling box, means to detachably connect the section in the box by relative rotational movement of the parts, a spring urged pawl movably carried by the rod section, the coupling box having a toothed socket at the end of the same from which the sucker rod section extends, the pawl of the sucker rod section when the sec tion and box are assembled in a connected relation projecting at a free end thereof into an interlocked connection in the toothed socket of the box, and extending beyond the end edge of the box along the sucker rod section in an exposed accessible relation thereon Wherebythe same may be manually depressed 10 against the spring action to enable a; disconnection of the box and section.

BENJAMIN F. CARGLE. 

